Glide-on coating for polymeric gloves

ABSTRACT

Polymeric gloves include a donning-facilitating coating. The donning-facilitating coating facilitates a hand of a user to glide into and out of the glove while either leaving a visible residue on the hand of the user, or not leaving a visible residue on the hand of the user, when the donning-facilitating coating is contacted by the hand of the user.

FIELD

This disclosure relates to coatings for polymeric gloves and, and insome embodiments, to donning-facilitating coatings for polymeric gloves.

BACKGROUND

Generally, medical gloves are made of many conventional materials, suchas latex, nitrile, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). However, when hands arewet or damp, as when a user (e.g., surgeon or laboratory worker)attempts to put on the gloves after washing his or her hands or applyinga disinfectant solution, foam, or gel to his or her hands, the glovescan be quite difficult to put on due to friction between the interior ofthe glove and wet or damp skin. This can often result in the glovesripping during donning. It would be desirable to provide a glove that issuitable for use with disinfectant solutions.

When using gloves, it is often important to follow facility cleanlinessprocedures after doffing the gloves. In some cases, it may be useful toprovide a glove that provides a visual reminder that the user shouldfollow the cleanliness procedures.

FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary glove prepared in accordance with thepresent teachings.

FIG. 2 illustrates a user's hand before donning the exemplary gloveshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates the user's hand after doffing the exemplary gloveshown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Generally, donning-facilitating coating compositions for polymericgloves, polymeric gloves including such compositions, and associatedmethods of making such compositions and gloves are described herein.

In one embodiment, an interior surface (i.e., the hand-contactingsurface) of a polymeric glove (e.g., a polyvinyl chloride glove)includes a donning-facilitating coating that facilitates a hand of auser to glide into the interior of the glove and out of the interior ofthe glove. The coating may leave colored visible residue on the hand ofthe user when the hand of the user, which had an alcohol-baseddisinfectant thereon, is removed from the glove. As depicted in FIG. 1,for instance, the glove 10 may have a coating 12 on the interior surfacethereof. When the user has donned and subsequently doffed the glove, theuser's hand is left with a colored indicia, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In another embodiment, an interior surface of a glove includes adonning-facilitating coating that facilitates a hand of a user to glideinto the interior of the glove and out of the interior of the glove, thecoating including a modifier that enhances adhesion of the coating tothe glove material. The coating may be formulated such thatsubstantially no visible residue is left on the hand of the user whenthe donning-facilitating coating is contacted by the hand of the userhaving an alcohol-based disinfectant thereon.

The polymeric gloves described herein may be made of conventionalmaterials, and the present disclosure especially contemplates in someembodiments gloves made of a polyvinyl chloride material. Such glovesare prepared from glove formulations as is conventional.

In some aspects, the polymeric glove formulation includes one or morepolyvinyl chloride resins. The polymeric glove formulation may includefrom about 20 to about 40 parts of a first polyvinyl chloride resin andfrom about 60 to about 80 parts of a second polyvinyl chloride resindistinct from the first polyvinyl chloride resin. Exemplary suitablepolyvinyl chloride resins include but are not limited to LP170G resin(manufactured by LG Chemicals, South Korea), PR-F resin (manufactured byFormosa Plastics, Taiwan), PSH 30 resin (manufactured by ShenyangChemical Co. Ltd., People's Republic of China (PRC)), or the like, orcombinations thereof. While some of the polymeric glove formulationsdescribed herein include two distinct polyvinyl chloride resins, it willbe appreciated that only one polyvinyl chloride resin can be usedinstead. Generally, two polyvinyl chloride resins can be mixed with eachother in various proportions.

The glove may be formulated with other conventional components, such asa one or more plasticizers, viscosity reducers, stabilizers, andcombinations thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the polymericglove formulation glove includes from about 76 to about 82 parts of aplasticizer. In one aspect, the plasticizer includes, but is not limitedto a phthalate compound. Suitable phthalate compounds include but arenot limited to diisononyl phthalate (DINP) (manufactured by LGChemicals, South Korea), dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP), manufactured byExxon Mobil, Singapore, or the like, or combinations thereof. Othersuitable plasticizes include such as epoxidized soybean oil (ESBO),1,2-cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester (DINCH), dioctylphthalate (DOP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), diisooctyl phthalate (DIOP),di-2-ethylhexyl adipate (DOA), tris(2-ethylhexyl)trimellitate (TOTM),epoxidized soybean oil (ESO), expandable polystyrene (EPS), diethyleneglycol dibenzoate (DEDB), dipropylene glycol dibenzoate (DPGDB), acetyltributyl citrate (ATBC), tributyl citrate (TBC). Any other suitableplasticizer may be employed.

The polymeric glove formulation may include from about 10 to about 15parts of a viscosity reducer. Suitable viscosity reducers include2,2,4-Trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate (TXIB), n-alkane typeviscosity reducers such as D70, D80, D90, and D100, or the like. In someembodiments, the polymeric glove formulation includes from about 0.5 toabout 0.8 parts of a stabilizer. Suitable stabilizers include calciumstearate, zinc stearate, or the like, or combinations thereof.

To provide lubrication, the interior of the glove may be coated with acoating composition. Any suitable coating composition may be employed.In some embodiments, the coating composition includes a polyurethaneresin-containing solution and water. In some aspects, the polyurethaneresin-containing solution includes polyurethane resin, silicon dioxide(i.e., silica), a surfactant, and water. A polyurethane resin-containingsolution according to some embodiments includes from about 20 to about60 wt. % polyurethane resin, from about 1 to about 10 wt. % silicondioxide, from about 0.1 to about 2 wt. % surfactant, and from about 28to about 79 wt. % water. The silicon dioxide may comprise particlessized from about 0.01 micron to about 0.2 micron. Suitable surfactantsmay be nonionic surfactants including but not limited to polysiloxane orthe like.

In one embodiment, the coating composition includes about 1 partpolyurethane resin-containing solution, from about 20 to about 25 partswater, and an optional colorant, such as from about 0.1 to about 10parts colorant. Without wishing to be limited by theory, thepolyurethane resin-containing solution provides a donning-facilitatingcoating for the interior of the polymeric glove and permits a userhaving a wet or damp hand having an alcohol-based disinfectant thereonto smoothly insert the hand into the glove, and to smoothly remove thehand from the glove without the hand sticking to the interior surface ofthe glove, which would normally enhance the risk of the glove ripping.The colorant may be a food-grade dye or other colorant that is suitableto leave a visible residue on the hands of the user when the hands ofthe user, prior to being inserted into the glove, contain wetnessprovided by an alcohol-based disinfectant. This visible residue canlater be washed off the hand of the user via water and/or water and soapcombination.

Without wishing to be limited by theory, when a hand of a user that iswet or damp with an alcohol-based disinfectant is inserted into theglove and comes into contact with the interior surface of the glove andthe donning-facilitating coating (which includes the colorant) on theinterior surface, the alcohol (e.g., ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, or thelike) causes the colorant to be released from the donning-facilitatingcoating and come in contact to and stick to the wet hands of the userdue to the wetness provided by the presence of alcohol thereon. Thevisible residue left on the hands of the user by the release of thecolorant from the donning-facilitating coating advantageously remindsthe user to wash his or her hands promptly after taking the glove off.

Accordingly, in one aspect, one embodiment of the present inventionincludes a donning-facilitating composition for coating an interiorsurface of a polymeric glove, which, when coated onto the interiorsurface of the glove, is configured to facilitate a hand of a user toglide into and out of the glove, and which comprises a polyurethaneresin-containing solution and a colorant configured to leave a visibleresidue on the hand of the user when the interior surface of the glovehaving the donning-facilitating coating is contacted by the hand of theuser having an alcohol-based disinfectant thereon.

In some aspects, a donning-facilitating composition for coating aninterior surface of a polymeric glove includes a polyurethaneresin-containing solution and silicon oxide (i.e., silica particles)which, after coming into contact with an alcohol typically present inhand disinfectants and cleaning gels, becomes unstable such that thesilica particles start to agglomerate, and the combination of theunstable polyurethane resin-containing solution and the agglomeratedsilica particles form a visible powdery reside on the user's hand.

In another embodiment, an interior surface (i.e., the hand-contactingsurface) of a polymeric glove includes a donning-facilitating coatingthat facilitates a hand of a user to glide into the interior of theglove and out of the interior of the glove, and that leaves no visibleresidue on the hand of the user when the hand of the user, which wasinserted into the glove while having an alcohol-based disinfectantthereon, is removed from the glove. The polymeric glove according tothis embodiment includes substantially identical ingredients andotherwise is substantially similar to the polymeric glove according tothe colorant-including embodiment.

The glove formulation according to this embodiment need not include acolorant, but instead includes a modifier configured to retain thepolyurethane resin-containing solution of the donning-facilitatingcoating on the interior surface of the glove such that substantially novisible residue is left on the hand of the user when thedonning-facilitating coating is contacted by a hand of the user havingan alcohol-based disinfectant thereon.

Some modifiers suitable for retaining the polyurethane resin-containingsolution of the donning facilitating coating on the interior surface ofthe glove even when the hand of the user coming into contact with theinterior surface of the glove is wetted with an alcohol-containingdisinfectant may include but are not limited to: wax, shellac,polyurethane, polyurethane and wax mixture, polyethylene glycol,polyethylene emulsion, polyvinyl acetate, hyaluronic acid, or the like,or combinations thereof. Preferably, the modifier is an anionicpolyacrylamide having a molecular weight greater than 14,000,000. It hasbeen found that the use of such a modifier can be effective to provide aglove coating composition that leaves little or no residue on the handsupon doffing the glove. Other polyacrylamides, as well as polyacrylatesor hydroxyethyl methacrylate, may be employed as the modifier.

In one form, the modifier is an anionic polyacrylamide having amolecular weight of at least about 10,000,000, preferably at least about11,000,000, and more preferably at least about 14,000,000. In someembodiments, the glove formulation, which includes thedonning-facilitating polyurethane resin-containing solution as inabove-described embodiment including the colorant, includes about 1 partpolyurethane resin-containing solution, from about 20 to about 25 partswater, and about 0.001 to about 0.01 parts modifier. In one embodiment,the glove formulation includes about 1 part polyurethaneresin-containing solution, about 25 parts water, and about 0.006 partsmodifier.

The donning-facilitating coating, which was described above, permits auser having a wet or damp hand covered with a residue of analcohol-based disinfectant, to smoothly insert the hand into thepolymeric glove, and to smoothly remove the hand from the polymericglove without the hand sticking to the interior surface of the glove,which would normally enhance the risk of the glove ripping. Withoutwishing to be limited by theory, the modifier retains most if not all ofthe polyurethane resin-containing solution (which contains silicondioxide particles as described above) of the donning facilitatingcoating on the interior surface of the polymeric glove even when thehand of the user coming into contact with the interior surface of theglove is wetted with an alcohol-containing disinfectant. In other words,the modifier acts as a crosslinking, adhesion, and/or bonding agent thatfacilitates a stronger bond between the donning-facilitatingpolyurethane resin-containing solution and the polymer (e.g., polyvinylchloride) based interior surface of the polymeric glove, therebyadvantageously permitting a user having a wet or damp hand covered witha residue of an alcohol-based disinfectant to smoothly insert the handinto the glove, and to smoothly remove the hand from the glove withoutthe hand sticking to the interior surface of the glove, and such thatsubstantially no visible residue is left on the hand of the user.

Accordingly, in one aspect, one embodiment of the present inventionincludes a donning-facilitating composition for coating an interiorsurface of a polymeric glove, which, when coated onto the interiorsurface of the glove, is configured to facilitate a hand of a user toglide into and out of the glove, and which comprises a polyurethaneresin-containing solution and a modifier configured to retain thepolyurethane resin-containing solution on the interior surface of theglove such that no visible residue is left on the hand of the user whenthe donning-facilitating composition is contacted by the hand of theuser having an alcohol-based disinfectant thereon.

The gloves may be formed by creating a plastisol of the glove basematerial and dipping the plastisol on a form into the polyurethaneresin. The dipped glove then may be dried. Generally, the dryingtemperature can depend on the temperature of the enclosure where thegloves are made. In particular, in some aspects, when the gloves aremanufactured at a temperature from −10° C. to 0° C., the drying (i.e.,curing) temperature can be from 150° C. to 165° C., when the gloves aremanufactured at a temperature from 0° C. to 10° C., the drying (i.e.,curing) temperature can be from 130° C. to 150° C., when the gloves aremanufactured at a temperature from 10° C. to 20° C., the drying (i.e.,curing) temperature can be from 120° C. to 130° C., when the gloves aremanufactured at a temperature from 20° C. to 30° C., the drying (i.e.,curing) temperature can be from 100° C. to 120° C., and when the glovesare manufactured at a temperature from 30° C. to 40° C., the drying(i.e., curing) temperature can be from 80° C. to 100° C.

Advantages and embodiments of the elastomeric polymeric gloves asdescribed herein are further illustrated by the following examples;however, the particular conditions, processing schemes, materials, andamounts thereof recited in these examples, as well as other conditionsand details, should not be construed to unduly limit the compositionsand methods described herein.

Example 1

Polymeric gloves were made using a known process for making gloves.Generally, the glove formulation and resin components included: 20-40parts PVC A-LP170G resin (purchased from LG Chemicals, South Korea);60-80 parts PVC B-PR-F resin (purchased from Formosa Plastics, Taiwan)or PSH 30 resin (purchased from Shenyang Chemical Co. Ltd., PRC); 76-82parts plasticizer DINP, purchased from LG Chemicals, South Korea, orDOTP, purchased from Exxon Mobil, Singapore; 10-12 parts viscosityreducer TXIB, purchased from Eastman Chemicals, PRC); 0.5-0.8 partsstabilizer SBA-203CZ-G, purchased from Fa'aihong Chemical, PRC; 1 partpolyurethane resin-containing solution A-112, purchased from Jija,Taiwan, and 25 parts water.

The polyurethane resin-containing solution A-112 had the followingcomposition:

TABLE 1 Chemicals CAS Number % polyurethane resin 71394-21-3 20-60Silica 14464-46-1  1-10 Surfactant 125997-17-3 0.1-2  Water 7732-17-3balance

The polymeric gloves were prepared as follows. The modifier-containingsolution was mixed with water for about 1-1.5 hours while stirringcontinuously. After that, the polyurethane resin-containing solution wasstirred continuously for another 45-60 minutes to provide a uniform,homogeneous solution. The temperature of the polyurethaneresin-containing solution was maintained at 50-60° C. during thestirring.

Plastisol (e.g., mixture of at least one polyvinyl chloride resin,plasticizer, viscosity reducer, stabilizer, and colorant) was providedin a tank at a temperature of from about 60° C. to about 65° C. Theclean hand former was dipped for 15 seconds in the plastisol tank andreleased for trickling, and then dried for 6 minutes at about 200-230°C. followed by cooling to about 110-120° C. The temperature of thepolyurethane resin-containing solution was at about 50-60° C. in theother tank at a pH of about 7.5 to about 9.5. The viscosity of thepolyurethane resin-containing solution was 2-6 centipoise (cps).

When the temperature of the hand former with glove was at about 110° C.to about 120° C., the plastisol was dipped in the polyurethaneresin-containing solution for 15 seconds, released and dried for 2minutes. The drying temperature was from about 80° C. to about 165° C.The speed of the line was 140-180 samples/minute. The water evaporatedoff completely from the former and after cooling, the gloves were rolledout in inverted fashion such that the polyurethane coating was on theinside of the glove.

Treated gloves were then tested for tensile properties according to ASTMD412. The easy donning evaluation was as follows: Grade 1: tacky; worstdonning experience; Grade 2: tough surface; not good donning experience;Grade 3: smooth surface; normal donning experience; Grade 4: very smoothsurface; good donning experience; Grade 5: excellent smoothness; bestdonning experience; Dry hand donning: hands are not washed ordisinfected; Wet hand donning: hands are washed with water and/ordisinfected with alcohol solution or gel. The results were compared to acommercial coating.

The results were as follows:

TABLE 2 Example 1 Commercial coating Tensile at Break 8.5 kN/m 8.8 kN/mElongation at Break 330% 340% Easy donning grade (dry) 5 4 Easy donninggrade (wet) 5 1 Easy donning grade (alcohol) 5 with lots white 2 withslight white powder residue powder residue

Example 2

Example 1 is repeated, but in addition 0.1 part of a food colorant isadded to the polyurethane solution.

Example 3

Example 2 is repeated, but instead of 0.1 part of food colorant, 10parts of food colorant are added to the polyurethane solution.

Example 4

PVC gloves and polyurethane resin-containing solution were made asdescribed in example 1, but 0.006 parts of an anionic polyacrylamidewith a molecular weight of at least 14,000,000 was added to thepolyurethane solution. In other words, the glove formulation included:20-40 parts PVC A-LP170G resin (purchased from LG Chemicals, SouthKorea); 60-80 parts PVC B-PR-F resin (purchased from Formosa Plastics,Taiwan) or PSH 30 resin (purchased from Shenyang Chemical Co. Ltd.,PRC); 76-82 parts plasticizer DINP, purchased from LG Chemicals, SouthKorea, or DOTP, purchased from Exxon Mobil, Singapore; 10-12 partsviscosity reducer TXIB, purchased from Eastman Chemicals, PRC); 0.5-0.8parts stabilizer SBA-203CZ-G, purchased from Fa'aihong Chemical, PRC;0.006 parts of an anionic polyacrylamide with a molecular weight of atleast 14,000,000, 1 part polyurethane resin-containing solution A-112,purchased from Jija, Taiwan, and 25 parts water.

The conditions of the line were as follows:

TABLE 3 Inner quality Inner quality standard standard Check Item regularPVC glove regular PVC glove Result Line speed: 128-135 123-130 More thanSample/min 5/min PU drying 125-135 135-145 Higher than temp 10 degreetension: Mpa 15.9-18.3 15.8-18.2 Same elongation: % 380-430 385-438Almost same Color Natural Natural Same

Treated gloves were then tested for tensile properties according to ASTMD412.

Results were as follows: Average load at break: >8 kN/m—Passed ASTMstandard. Average elongation at break: >300%-Passed ASTM standard.

The directions for the Damp Don Performance test conducted were asfollows:

-   -   1. In a big plastic tub, fill in the tap water such that both        hands are completely immersed in water for 5 secs.    -   2. Place two pieces of filter paper on the desk in a dry place.    -   3. After soaking the hand in water, put the two palms facing        down on the filter paper and pat down on the tissue 3 times.    -   4. Then turn the hands upside down and pat down for three times        again    -   5. Repeat the process with every two new tissue papers        performing steps 3 and 4.    -   6. Don the gloves one glove at a time. When one hand has a        glove, put another glove using the gloved hand.

Medline industries alcohol gel Skintegrity Instant Hand Sanitizers(Conc. 63% ethanol) was used as the alcohol-based disinfectant. About20-25 g gel alcohol was used for one test.

The hands were rubbed with gel alcohol and the gloves were donned. Thegloves were easy to don and no residue was left. Measurement of tack onthe gloves: Grade 1: tacky; worst donning experience; Grade 2: toughsurface; not good donning experience; Grade 3: smooth surface; normaldonning experience; Grade 4: very smooth surface; good donningexperience; Grade 5: excellent smoothness; best donning experience; Dryhand donning: hands are not washed or disinfected; Wet hand donning:hands are washed with water and/or disinfected with alcohol solution orgel.

Results were as follows:

TABLE 4 Example 4 Normal coating Easy donning grade (dry) 5 4 Easydonning grade (wet) 5 1 Easy donning grade (alcohol) 5 with no 2 withslight white powder residue powder residue

The foregoing descriptions are not intended to represent the only formsof easy to put on elastomeric gloves in regard to the details of theformulation. Changes in form and in proportion of parts, as well as thesubstitution of equivalents, are contemplated as circumstances maysuggest or render expedient. Similarly, while the elastomeric gloves andmethods of making thereof have been described herein in conjunction withspecific embodiments, many alternatives, modifications, and variationswill be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoingdescription.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A polymeric glove having an interiorsurface for contacting a hand of a user, the interior surface includinga donning-facilitating coating configured to facilitate a hand of a userto glide into and out of the glove, the donning-facilitating coatingcomprising a polyurethane resin-containing solution and a colorantconfigured to leave a visible residue on the hand of the user when thedonning-facilitating coating is contacted by the hand of the user havingan alcohol-based disinfectant thereon, wherein the polyurethaneresin-containing solution includes 20-60 wt. % polyurethane resin, 1-10wt. % silicon dioxide, 0.1-2 wt. % nonionic surfactant comprising apolysiloxane, and 28-79 wt. % water.
 2. The glove of claim 1, whereinthe polymeric glove is a polyvinyl chloride glove.
 3. The glove of claim1, further comprising 20-40 parts of a first polyvinyl chloride resinand 60-80 parts of a second polyvinyl chloride resin distinct from thefirst polyvinyl chloride resin.
 4. The glove of claim 1, furthercomprising: 76-82 parts of a plasticizer, 10-15 parts of a viscosityreducer, and 0.5-0.8 parts of a stabilizer.
 5. The glove of claim 1,wherein the silicon dioxide comprises particles sized from 0.01 micronto 0.2 micron.
 6. A polymeric glove having an interior surface forcontacting a hand of a user, the interior surface including adonning-facilitating coating configured to facilitate a hand of a userto glide into and out of the glove, the donning-facilitating coatingcomprising a polyurethane resin-containing solution and a modifierconfigured to retain the polyurethane resin-containing solution on theinterior surface of the glove when the donning-facilitating coating iscontacted by the hand of the user having an alcohol-based disinfectantthereon, wherein the polyurethane resin-containing solution includes20-60 wt. % polyurethane resin, 1-10 wt. % silicon dioxide, 0.1-2 wt. %nonionic surfactant comprising a polysiloxane, and 28-79 wt. % water. 7.The glove of claim 6, wherein the polymeric glove is a polyvinylchloride glove.
 8. The glove of claim 6, further comprising 20-40 partsof a first polyvinyl chloride resin and 60-80 parts of a secondpolyvinyl chloride resin distinct from the first polyvinyl chlorideresin.
 9. The glove of claim 6, further comprising: 76-82 parts of aplasticizer, 10-15 parts of a viscosity reducer, and 0.5-0.8 parts of astabilizer.
 10. The glove of claim 6, wherein the silicon dioxidecomprises particles sized from 0.01 micron to 0.2 micron.
 11. The gloveof claim 6, wherein the modifier is an anionic polyacrylamide with amolecular weight of at least 14,000,000.
 12. The glove of claim 6,wherein the donning-facilitating coating is applied by dipping theinterior surface of the glove.
 13. A polymeric glove having an interiorsurface for contacting a hand of a user, the interior surface includinga donning-facilitating coating configured to facilitate a hand of a userto glide into and out of the glove, the donning-facilitating coatingcomprising a polyurethane resin and silicon dioxide configured toagglomerate and form a visible residue on the hand of the user having analcohol-based disinfectant thereon, wherein the donning-facilitatingcoating comprises 20-60 wt. % of the polyurethane resin, 1-10 wt. % ofthe silicon dioxide, 0.1-2 wt. % of a surfactant, and 28-79 wt. % water.14. The glove of claim 13, wherein the polymeric glove is a polyvinylchloride glove.
 15. The glove of claim 13, wherein the silicon dioxidecomprises particles sized from 0.01 micron to 0.2 micron.